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Keeping up a ru
"They're still awkward," Mirrim said, poking one of the tanks toward the storage area. Then she gri
"For once greens get the best assignments," S'len added proudly.
"Green dragons are far more versatile than anyone knows," Mirrim added staunchly. "Can't say the same for green fire-lizards," she went on, sourly observing the absurd antics of Reppa and Lok, who were tumbling end over end overhead, chittering ecstatically. Meer, Talla, and her own brown Tolly had abandoned such nonsense and were plastered against the window, their wings limp in their utter fascination with the view.
As soon as the dragons had been unloaded, Ruth encouraged Path and Bigath to join him at the window. While the white dragon floated serenely from the upper level, Path and Bigath had a few problems that the human observers found hilarious.
"They get the hang of it quickly enough," Jaxom said, watching approvingly. "After all, they're used to flying."
Once the oxygen tanks had been secured, the others had a chance to view the magnificence of the vast planet beneath them.
"Does the view stay the same?" Mirrim asked. "I can't see Benden from here."
"Or Ruatha, " Sharra added.
"I can barely make out Eastern Weyr," S'len put in, "and I thought it was pretty big!"
"That's what a geosynchronous orbit means, my friends, the ship stays in the same position relative to the surface of the planet," Jaxom said. "However, if you'll move over to that first console-easy does it!" He grabbed Mirrim before she could propel herself too forcefully away from the window. "We can see the coast of Nerat and something of Benden on the rear screen, but," he added with a nod to Sharra, "Southern Hold's over the horizon."
"Then don't let Toric up here, because all he wants to see is Southern spread out before him," she replied with a wry smile.
They all managed to transfer without incident to the. navigation console, where Jaxom activated the rear screen.
"That's nothing," Mirrim said bluntly. "Too small."
"Just a minute," Jaxom replied, holding up one hand as he mentally rehearsed the procedure for altering the view on the main screen. He tapped it out and was gratified to see the screen alter.
"By the Egg, that's incredible!" S'len sighed, eyes round with amazement. "How'd you do that, Jaxom?"
Jaxom recited the sequences, and S'len nodded, repeating them in a mutter.
"Now, I'll help the girls get the barrels to Environment. If you'd rather Ruth and I accompanied you to the Bahrain..."
"No, no, that's hardly necessary," S'len said, affronted, and started to fasten his jacket.
S'len mounted Bigath.
Ruth, check their direction, would you? Jaxom asked his dragon.
Bigath knows exactly where he's going. Be easy, Ruth replied without turning his head from the window.
When Bigath and S'len had departed, Jaxom clapped his hands briskly.
"All right, girls, let's get these barrels down to Environment," Jaxom said, beckoning to them. "The section we're using is only one level down. It would keep the bridge supplied in case of emergency."
They got the barrels into the lift and down to the next level.
"I thought you said Aivas warmed this place for us," Sharra exclaimed, rubbing her arms vigorously.
Jaxom gri
Mirrim's teeth started to chatter, and she rolled her eyes and hurried to palm open the double doors just in front of the lift. "Wow! This is bigger than I thought it would be," she said as she entered the white room, glancing at the cabinets that lined one wall and the huge spirals of trays that would slowly revolve on their posts to allow each section the required amount of deflected light to propagate the algae.
"Come back here, Mirrim," Jaxom said as he gently kicked a barrel out of the lift.
It didn't take the three long to set up the supplies. Jaxom offered to help prepare the trays with the wet padding that would moisturize the algal spores, but the girls shooed him away. He watched while they found the supplies they needed, the packages of algae and nutrients that had to be added carefully to the fluid.
"Where's the con-" Sharra began, and then spotted the console that had been meticulously covered by whoever had decommissioned the facility. "All right, dear," she said, smiling absently at her bemused mate and flicking her fingers at him to leave, "we've all we need. You'd best get on with your chores."
Jaxom made no move to leave. Mirrim, hunkered down by the shelves, glowered at him. "Git!"
Back on the bridge, Ruth and the five fire-lizards were still plastered to the window. Jaxom activated the link between the two ships and located S'len as he was painstakingly soaking the padding in a tray, holding one hand to prevent water from flowing out of the barrel.
Reassured that the others were doing fine on their own, Jaxom at last settled himself at the navigation board and activated the telescope to begin his own chore. He opened the cha
"S'len's working away?" Mirrim asked. "Time for us to do the Buenos Aires, then." She buckled up her jacket, nodding at Sharra to do the same. "Aivas, Farli has turned on the lifesupport systems there, hasn't she?"
"Yes. There is now oxygen in the relevant areas of the Buenos Aires."
Sharra gave Jaxom a look that was tolerant of Mirrim's predilection to take charge.
Ruth, Jaxom began, for although he did really trust Mirrim and Path, it was Sharra they would be taking to the Buenos Aires.
If Path caught me looking in, Mirrim'd never forgive you, the white dragon replied, giving his rider a doleful stare.
All right, all right. I trust her or I don't. And I do. I'll restrain myself.
So will I! And the white dragon dropped his jaw in a draconic grin.
When the girls were mounted on Path, Mirrim gave him a salute. "Don't wait for us. We'll go straight back to Landing."
Before he could protest, Path disappeared, along with the firelizards. Jaxom's fingers flew on the console, calling up the link to the Buenos Aires just as Path, with the girls and the firelizards, arrived.
Ruth gave such a scornful snort that he blew himself slightly away from the window.
"All right then, big eyes," Jaxom said, closing down the console. "Since my work's finished, we can go back to Landing."
When Sharra and Mirrim returned to Landing, Brekke and Master Oldive were there. Brekke, F'nor's introverted wife, had agreed to learn more about the treatment of wounds, since she often worked as an aide to Benden Weyr's healers.
"Master Morilton delivered the petri dishes today," she told them. "Aivas says that if you are not too tired, he can elaborate on his last lecture about bacteria and how to overcome them with what he calls an-tee-bi-ah-tics."
Sharra and Mirrim exchanged glances, but they were more exhilarated by their morning's work than tired. Sharra had been fascinated with the concept of isolating certain bacteria and finding ways to combat infection by developing special bacteriophages. So they filed into the laboratory room-and exclaimed in pleasure at the sight of sufficient microscopes for all. Brekke smiled quietly.
"We won't have to take turns!" Mirrim cried. "For my eye only!" Slipping onto the high stool, she peered through the eyepiece. "Hmmm. If you're looking at nothing, that's what you see."